The stressbusters

From meet-and-greet to lounge access, a few little luxuries can make your journey far smoother. David Wickers and Rob Ryan report

We are all aware that Stevenson’s maxim about it being better to travel than to arrive is woefully dated. He never saw Gatwick or Stansted in high summer. Holidays may be pleasurable, but the experience is often tainted by an array of stresses — getting to the airport on time, overcrowded terminals when you do arrive, “Are we there yet? children’s chants and the worry of leaving your home, stuffed with consumer durables, unattended for two weeks.

Of course, if you travel at the front of the plane, and have nannies to usher the kids and staff back home to water the lawns, some of this is ameliorated, but we can’t all be Philip Green. However, there are several strategies to reduce the peripheral hassles of holidays. We are not suggesting you stump up for all of the options outlined below: just pick one or two that will be most beneficial